Poor countries demand fair share of bird flu drugs
Source: Reuters
By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Developing countries from Asia to the Middle East demanded on Tuesday that they receive their "fair" share of limited bird flu vaccines and anti-virals if a deadly pandemic strain emerges. Hard-hit China and Thailand promised to provide more virus samples from birds and humans -- deemed vital for developing vaccines and diagnostic tests for the deadly disease. The debate highlighting the gap between rich and poor countries was held in the Executive Board of the World Health Organisation (WHO), which warned of a "serious" threat that the H5N1 bird flu virus may mutate into a pandemic influenza strain. "The pandemic will definitely occur in developing countries, not developed countries. But we are sending our virus (samples) to the rich countries to produce anti-virals and vaccines. And when pandemic occurs, they survive and we die," Thailand's representative Suwit Wibulpolprasert said in a blunt speech. "It is unfair to let the poor die and the rich survive," said Suwit, a senior Thai public health officer. Calling it a "national security issue", Suwit said: "We are not opposing the sharing of information and virus, but on the condition that every country will have equal opportunity to get access to vaccine and anti-virals if such a pandemic occurs." The United Nations agency, in its report to the 32-member board, said it is grappling with "ethical issues". The bird flu virus has infected 269 people since 2003, killing 163, and could still mutate into a form transmitted more easily among people. Current supplies of Tamiflu, the frontline anti-viral drug by the Swiss company Roche <ROG.VX>, and flu vaccine production capacity would be inadequate to meet world demand in a pandemic. Seasonal influenza vaccine capacity is some 400 million doses, mainly based in rich countries. The WHO's recent global action plan, which calls for transferring vaccine production technology to developing countries, has estimated it will take years to reach adequate vaccine production at current levels. JUSTIFIABLE CONCERN Margaret Chan, who took up her new duties as WHO director-general this month, said she understood the concerns. "I note your justifiable concern regarding access to drugs and vaccines," she said. Referring to her previous job as WHO's top bird flu expert, Chan said that she had been impressed with pharmaceutical companies' sense of corporate social responsibility. "They do not see pandemic influenza as another 'cash cow'," she said. "There is a lot of goodwill between all partners and stakeholders to make sure that the world is better prepared." Earlier, Bahrain, speaking on behalf of countries in the Middle East except Israel, noted the region lacked capacity to produce seasonal influenza vaccines and was unlikely to produce vaccines against the pandemic strain in the near future. "We also believe that ... there should be a fixed percentage of the vaccine produced for the pandemic strain for each region, proportionate to the population of each region, to ensure equitable and fair access for such vaccine," Sameer Khalfan, director of public health for Bahrain, told the talks.
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